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Wineries and San Luis Obispo county go hand in hand. If you're a wine enthusiast, you're definitely in for a treat when you visit SLO! The wine culture here is amazing, relaxed and friendly.

One of our first favorite wineries as a local was Tolosa Winery and we've been a wine club member there for over 4 years now. As you drive towards the tasting room from their road, the vineyards engulf you as you continue towards the parking lot. Here's the video that I took (non-edited and not a boomerang-type effect) from our drive from entering the road.

View a video of the lines of vineyards we saw as we're driving to Tolosa Winery Tasting Room

I've been to this winery more than a dozen of times and have taken 3 different groups of friends for tastings, since we get 4 free tastings with each visit as a wine club member. A bonus for wine tasting here is there are a couple EV (Electric Vehicle) charging stations in their parking lot so this is a very convenient place for electric vehicles.

Usually when we visit Tolosa Winery, there is a host or hostess in front of the double doors outside to greet you and take your name down. When it's during the week in the slower season, we may not see a host but once entering the tasting room, there's someone who greet you. 

Compared to Napa Valley, the tasting cost and experience here in Edna Valley, and specifically Tolosa Winery, are truly a comparable choice. There is also still a lot of pride in winemaking and delivering a good wine tasting experience here. They also have a sister property called Alpha Omega Winery and there's a tasting room in Paso Robles. 

The Tolosa Winery staff there is friendly but I do have two favorite attendants and they are Jeremy and Karl.The chardonnays are refreshing and the pinot noirs are full of body and teasing to the tastebuds. They only serve dry wines here so if you're into sweet wine, this may not be the place for you!

Their pinot noir is still my number one favorite among my tasting list right now. 

If you're tasting inside their tasting room, don't forget to walk go outside near the patio area to enjoy the pretty vineyards view with the mountain backdrop to take a picture for memories. However, I recommend sitting outside in the patio if the weather is nice because you can see airplanes passing by overhead.

During the week days when it is not tourist season, you can have a much quieter tasting experience. Here is my video clip below of a tasting during the week day that you can view it easily on this instagram video reel (video of Tolosa).


I've seen others brought their kids and set out picnics out here. However, in order to enjoy the picnic that you brought, you have to sit in their picnic area and order bottle service. Call them to check on their rules to make sure their policies haven't change. Address of Tolosa Winery: 4910 Edna Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Wine Club Members Only Tasting Room at Tolosa Winery

The members only indoor tasting room for Tolosa Winery wine club members is called the Primera Room and it's only open on the weekends from Friday - Sunday.

We took advantage of this perk one time so far as we've become wine club members here off-and-on over the years. Sometimes the weather is just so nice and it's great to enjoy the weather by siting outside. However, if you can come during a weekend, it is worth checking out. You'll feel the extra special service by tasting some straight from the barrel samples. Furthermore, the view of the hills and valleys is just so beautiful.


See a video collage of our visit at Tolosa Winery in the Barrel Room.

Edna Valley is located in San Luis Obispo, California and not just San Luis Obispo County but actually in San Luis Obispo, California city area; and near the airport! Their central location also makes it wonderfully close to downtown, the beach areas and with the best weather! And in Edna Valley, there are over a dozen different wineries! You're not going to get scorching hot summer weather like Paso Robles (also in San Luis Obispo county) so if you're afraid of the heat, go to Edna Valley for some wine and cooler weather and then hang out at the beach (15 minutes from Edna Valley) afterwards.

Reading Suggestions:

• Read about other wineries that I've visited in Edna Valley and Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County.


• See my top 10 favorite local wineries in Edna Valley and Paso Robles, as a local.


• See this IG reel of different wine tasting rooms that I've personally visited.

My first-born is starting kindergarten next month. Back in May, he had his Kindergarten Round-up (something that they have around San Luis Obispo county for the little ones who are about to start kindergarten in a few months) where they tested him on at least 10 things: like drawing a picture of himself, writing his name, counting to 20 and more! I was surprised that they were testing them on all that because I was expecting a 'round-up' to be like an orientation. My son passed all of it, thankfully, but I saw another little boy cry while he was being tested. Talk about pressure! I truly feel like kids can't miss preschool like the old days or else they'll be behind. Before we left the round-up, one of the school staff members gave me a big packet for my son to work on over the summer before he starts preschool and a list of what my child should know before his first day of kindergarten. Here is the list below:

What Your Child Should Know Before Kindergarten

Reading:

• Recognize 26 of the 52 letters (upper and lowercase)
• 10 letter sounds
• Readers read left to right
• All letters in their first name

Have you ever watched the movie Sideways? It's a story about two San Diego State University alumni (like me!) who decided to go to Buellton in Santa Barbara County for some wine-tasting adventure as a bachelor party. It's a wonderful story and very comical.

Lucky for us, Buellton is only an hour south drive from here! It's also on the way to Solvang, the Danish Capital of America. In Buellton, there is a main street where you can hit many wine tasting rooms within the same block called Industrial Way. Once you've parked, you will not have to repark again to get to these wine tasting rooms which makes it such a fun and easy adventure. See the list of wineries in Buellton that we visited below:

Alma Rosa

This place has such an elegant tasting room. I loved the sleek, modern and fresh feel as you sit down and enjoy a tasting. Tastings were refreshing and they did a great job of making sure the wine bottles were chilled before pouring. I would definitely recommend coming here with a loved one to relax and chill. Address: 181 Industrial Way C, Buellton, CA 93427

Imagine Wine

Our double stroller didn't quite fit through the door so we hung out outside in the patio area. It is small and quaint and was the first wine tasting room that we visited in that strip. The rest of the tasting rooms on this list are all literally next to each other. Address: 140 Industrial Way d2, Buellton, CA 93427

Tierra Y Vino

Tierra Y Vino is kid-friendly and dog-friendly and you can bring your own food here to enjoy the wine with. It's definitely the most casual atmosphere of the bunch. Address: 140 Industrial Way, Buellton, CA 93427

Buscador Wine

Don't be surprised if the winemaker himself pours you your tastings! I think this made Buscador more memorable for us. How often do you get to taste wine and ask the winemaker himself about it! Address: 140 Industrial Way, Buellton, CA 93427

Kalyra Wine Tasting Room

Also right in the same strip, Kalyra has a urban feel to the tasting room with an outdoor picnic table and a nice shady outdoor space. Address: 140 Industrial Way, Buellton, CA 93427

If you want, you can also stay at the Sideways Inn in Buellton, where the characters in the movie Sideways stayed at. It was really family-friendly, well-kept and with a very decent rate. Read more about our stay there in this blog entry.

See personal reviews for local wineries in Edna Valley and Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara's neighboring county.

With some of the wineries allow bringing outside picnics, so having a picnic set comes handy because you can store all of your snacks in a nice basket. I also suggest bringing an easy roll up picnic blanket to sit on the grass of their vineyards, if that type of arrangement is allowed.

See a list of hotels in Buellton that you can book online, ahead of time or last minute.

Solvang is the neighboring Danish town right by Buellton. Known for it's unique town, you can also opt to stay here at the end of your wine tasting adventure.

See a list of hotels in Solvang that you can book online.

You're going to discover a hidden secret if you stumble onto this post. If the tides are not too high, you can walk down from Spyglass Park towards the beach and can curve around the bluffs to the right to find a small tiny beach! 

Now all of this is risky and requires good knees. I don't advise you hike down if the wind, weather and tides are not in your favor as well. I've seen a few guys with coolers traveling around those rocky trails down and then disappear around the corner.

The very first time I went to Spyglass Park was to take my kids to the new playground structure that they have just replaced there.

See my instagram video reel of the Spyglass Park Playground structures. After I brought my husband here for our second visit, I asked him to watch the kids while I try to hike down to get a closer glimpse of the view from down there. It's a very beautiful hike!  

You can also find surfers along here. 


Address: 2549 Spyglass Drive, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

A dear friend from the Bay Area came down and visited me. I wanted to take her to a special place where a successful yuppie like her would appreciate. After some research online, I decided to take her to The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier hotel in Pismo Beach that overlooks the pier and ocean. It was absolutely the right pick!

The entrance to the hotel took a bit of time to figure out because it's on the opposite end of the beach parking lot. However, once we got on the property, I instantly felt relaxed.

In order to use the elevator to get to The Rooftop, a key is required (update: today, a key is not required to get to The Rooftop Restaurant anymore) so I asked the front desk if we could get to The Rooftop (because we're not staying there as a hotel guest) and I'm glad the front desk personnel was so pleasant as she activated a card and handed it to me. She hoped we would enjoy it. I was already excited! This key in hand was special.

As we slid the card into the slot of the elevator and pressed the button to get to the top floor, my friend and I looked at each other with amazement as everything looks so new. As we exited the elevator, it was easy to find the entrance to The Rooftop as the sunshine brightened the room from inside. Like finding an oasis in a desert, we've entered The Rooftop with the sound of the heavens in my head.

To my surprise, there's a small pool up there for hotel guests to use! There were also kids from the hotel enjoying a nice time with their parents. There was the bar at the very end, opposite from the ocean. And then there were many tables with the view of the pier and ocean! 

Seriously, you can not get a more vertical view of the Pismo Beach Pier from anywhere else!

With many lounge seats, patio tables and chairs, you pick a place to sit and a server will come to you to take your order. The place had many patrons there already and we found a table as close as we could towards the ocean.

We ordered drinks and food. My friend ordered the Bloody Mary and I ordered a local beer called Cali-Squeeze. Both were very refreshing and great!

I ordered the clam chowder, while my friend ordered the corn and home made chips. All were delicious and definitely chef-ly made!


We talked and laughed. We shared personal stories. It was the best hang-out place that my best friend and I have ever shared together and we've known each other since I was four years old. I can't wait to come back to The Rooftop again.

All photos were taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com. This review and experience are my own and not sponsored or endorsed in any way.

Updated Visited for Memorial Day Weekend 2023

On a date night, we wanted to have a higher view of the Pismo Beach Pier one evening during the busy Memorial Day weekend so on a whim, we decided to go to The Rooftop again at Inn at the Pier. This time, we didn't need a key from the front desk anymore! I like that they do this now as it's one less step to get up there. So, we pressed the 3 button in the elevator to go to the top and turned right out of the elevator to step up to their Rooftop restaurant. It was a Saturday evening and there were only a few other parties besides for us. I was kind of surprised. However, I appreciated the speedy service and a great seat to see the Pismo Beach Pier. Here was our view. It was a nice clear evening around 6:15PM!

We also saw smoke coming out of a classic car while we were dining up there. See my video short below for a nice view of the ocean from different angles and unexpected glimpse of a smoking car.

For this visit, we ordered wings and the seabass. The lobster roll was not on their menu this time, which I was bummed about but that gave me a chance to try something else (wings). I wasn't very hungry because we had just had a few appetizers for Pau Hana at Pono Pacific Kitchen in Grover Beach a half hour before. To my surprise, the seabass at The Rooftop is a full sized sea bass (head omitted).

Read about my staycations at the famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

Read about my visits at other romantic restaurants that I've visited for dinner in San Luis Obispo County, including Pismo Beach:

• Oyster Loft
• Pono Pacific Kitchen
• Ventana Grill
• IG Video Reel of Our Date at Ember
• Kanpai Sushi Review (in Shell Beach area of Pismo Beach)
• Lure Fish House in Downtown San Luis Obispo